Town Square

With insurance investigations completed, a wrecking firm has demolished a house at 839 E. Angela St. that exploded and burned more than 16 months ago, seriously injuring Deonna Zuffa, 41, and damaging two neighboring properties.

Posted by Stacey
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Apr 13, 2010 at 10:20 amStacey is a registered user.

colette,

If you look around on a website like Zillow, you'll find quite a few homes in Pleasanton that sold for the tens of thousands of dollars when they're really worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think to get in on a deal like that, sounds like someone's cheating the mortgage company in addition to the neighbors and their property values.

Posted by Georgette
a resident of Amador Estates
on Apr 13, 2010 at 12:51 pm

Chris-don't feel sorry for the family-it was all insurance fraud. The Greenbergs and the Zuffa's were connected in another real estate transaction years ago in San Ramon which also went belly up just not as far as burning yourself in a fire. If you would have followed the story from the very beginning you would have known not to feel bad for them

Posted by LIKE IT IS
a resident of Deer Oaks/Twelve Oaks
on Apr 13, 2010 at 1:15 pm

ITS PLEASANTONS OWN BERMUDA TRIANGLE. THE ARSON, FRUAD, AND EXPLOSION HOUSE. THE METH BROTHERS HOUSE. THE PEDOPHILE CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR IN TOWN. THIS SHOULD BE A REMINDER TO ALL YOU, WAKE UP! TALOR MADE NEWS JUST LEAVES YOU WITH A FALSE SENCE OF SECURITY.

What about the people who were unfortunate enough to donate money toward this woman? Donate money to a meth cooker (sorry, don't know the technical term) who burned herself in a fire? Talk about overly compassionate! These people should get their money back.

Sorry Ms. Zuffa that most of your skin melted off, but maybe you shouldn't have been up to no good.

Posted by Doo Doo
a resident of Valley Trails
on Apr 13, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Where are all of the "good people" of this town defending this lady? When this first happened, people were lined up to defend her. I was made to feel shame when I hinted that this women was involved in some illegal activity. SO...where are all of her defenders?
I also think all of the money that the family collected should go to the neighbors that were involved. The family has NO right keeping the money that people donated out of the goodness of their heart.

Posted by Pissed
a resident of another community
on Apr 13, 2010 at 3:02 pm

Ok seriously people. Know the facts first before blowing up. And if you had followed the story from the beginning you will know the facts and it clearly has been stated that Ms. Zuffa (her and her alone) was up to no good. And it has also been said that Ms. Zuffa will hopefully get charged for this, and Mr. Zuffa and the boys are the ones who suffered. Meth cooker - there is nothing stating that was the fact. They (Mr. Zuffa and boys were left with no home, no clothes and none of their personal belongings) are the ones who benefited from everyone's generosity not Ms. Zuffa. So yes the family excluding Ms. Zuffa do have a right to keep the money that people donated. So if you want to feel sorry for anyone at least think of the boys who were innocent in this whole saga.

Posted by Doo Doo
a resident of Valley Trails
on Apr 13, 2010 at 4:02 pm

I agree that the boys are the true victims here. Although, I won't hear any of this "Mr. Zuffa had nothing to do with this" stuff. Just because theres not enough evidence to charge someone, doesn't mean that they were oblivious to what was going on. He knew...

Posted by USCGPACSTRIKE
a resident of Birdland
on Apr 13, 2010 at 4:33 pm

Doo Doo... you have no clue what you are talking about! How dare you assume that Mr. Zuffa had anything to do with this! The DA is taking their sweet time in making an arrest and I am guessing that you did not know the Zuffa's? Mr Zuffa is a kind man and an outstanding citizen who has been trying to put his life back together after what Ms Zuffa has done. He certainly does not need people like you making assumptions about his character on a public forum like this. It's hard to be patient and wait for law enforcement to do something when you are the victim of such a horrible crime like this. I guarantee that every penny that Mr. Zuffa received was a blessing and very appreciated. It was spent to provide his kids with much needed basic living essentials that you and me take for granted every day. That family lost EVERYTHING! Some of those things can never be replaced!
Keep Mr Zuffa and the boys in your prayers and also pray that the DA makes a decision and charges her for those crimes.

Posted by USCGPACSTRIKE
a resident of Birdland
on Apr 13, 2010 at 4:38 pm

Just an update; Mr Zuffa and the two boys are doing better than expected. Though they have struggled, they are slowly getting their life back in order. Mr Zuffa would again like to sincerely thank all those people who donated money and helped in various ways. There has been such an outpouring of support, it really makes a difference in their lives. Thanks again Pleasanton!

Posted by To Chris
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 13, 2010 at 4:40 pm

"How is a 1mil property sold at auction for $75,000? There must have been a 1st mortgage that had a lean on the property.

Does anyone know how this happened?"

According to public records: the property was re-financed in 2002 and 2003 (after it was purchased in 1998). In 2002 the lender was "Royal Crown Bancorp " and in 2003 the lender was "Argent Mortgage Co LLC "

But in 2004 and 2005, it was refinanced again, and this time, the Lender was the "Greenberg Trust "

The records also show that in 2008, the Greenbergs became the owners with "Ownership status TE"

All of that is accordint to public records - I am not sure of the accuracy, but that is what it shows as of today.

Posted by Doo Doo
a resident of Valley Trails
on Apr 13, 2010 at 5:25 pm

How dare I? Are you wagging your finger at me too? So you ASSUME he is innocent, and I assume differently. You weren't there and neither was I so how can you say for certain that he is truely innocent. I will only stop this conversation out of respect for the children. Although, I would love to keep debating this with you. How can you keep pulling heart strings with the facts of their tragedy and losses, and ignore the details of what and how she did the crime. There is no way she could have came up with the idea, and plan it, and then execute it, without him knowing. He couldn't have been totally ignorant to her actions.

Posted by USCGPACSTRIKE
a resident of Birdland
on Apr 13, 2010 at 6:32 pm

Doo Doo... Believe it! If I saw you in person I'd do more than wag my finger at you. It's people like you that make trouble for innocent victims. I am not making assumptions. Unless you personally know this family, you are just like a hen squaking over the fence. It serves no purpose to assume and spread rumors and speculate with "Your Opinion". Your opinion does not matter, the facts do! and you don't know the facts! Seems you are only mentioning "Her" in your response above. With the accusations you make, you show no respect for the kids at all. You obviously don't know what identity theft is about do you? You think the kids don't read this? Think again!

Georgette... you also do not have your facts straight. There were no other dealings with the Greenburgs in San Ramon. You don't know what you are talking about.

Ms Zuffa is not living in seclusion, she is living with her parents in Lincoln under her maiden name "Ledbetter", avoiding the law. She is a criminal waiting on felony arson charges and forgery. Maybe you should re-read that article.

I think I may have posted my speculation about the $75k sale price quite some time ago. I thought the Greenbergs owned the home previously and sold it to the Zuffas. If they carried the note, and the Zuffas later defaulted on the loan, the Greenbergs may have taken ownership of the home again and perhaps returning $75k in equity to the Zuffas. On paper it might look like they bought the home for that amount.

Might be completely wrong but there doesn't seem to be any other explanations except shady conspiricy scenarios.

Posted by a theory
a resident of Pleasanton Heights
on Apr 14, 2010 at 9:39 am

Let's say that someone -- we will call them the Tuffa's -- needs money and finds a co-conspirator -- we will call them the Greenblatts. The Greenblatts "buy" the Tuffa's home for $75,000 but insure it for the market value of oh, maybe $800,000. Need a shady insurance agent for that part but those are a dime a dozen too. Now Mrs. Tuffa agrees to torch the house (while moving kids, dogs and jewelry out) and then split the $800,000 proceeds with the Greenblatts.
Premeditated arson, short and sweet. My question is this. Why is the PW not researching and reporting on the Greenblatts and their part in this fraud?

So how or who paid off the original mortgage so it could be sold to the Greenbergs for $75K? It looks like the Greenbergs (perhaps family members) must have put a lot of money into it in 2004 and 2005, so they did not get an impossible deal after all????

While not absolving responsibility, I still say the whole thing is tragic. I feel sadness that anyone would feel so desperate and compassion for the damage to a family.

Posted by reasonable
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 14, 2010 at 11:36 am

Please remember that no matter what happens on the criminal side, Ms. Zuffa has paid dearly for her crime in the form of permanently disfiguring burns that almost killed her. The boys are innocent and deserving of any and all help Pleasanton has given them. They have already suffered 1)loss of their home and possessions, 2)the shame and cloud of suspicion hanging over their family, and 3)the loss of their mother (who has been unavailable to property care for them for myriad reasons). Whether Mr. Zuffa is guilty of anything or not (let the DA figure that one out)it seems he is trying his best to care for his children and it would be tragic if the kids lost him too (to jail or whatever else).

Here is another strange aspect to this story. The house on 839 E. Angela St was listed last week in the Valley Times in the public notices in the Trustee Sale. The house listed Keith Zuffla as sole owner and the opening amount on the Trustee sale was somewhere around $815,000.

Posted by Doo Doo
a resident of Valley Trails
on Apr 14, 2010 at 3:39 pm

USCGPACSTRIKE, Why are you the only hen squaking back? And why is your assumption more important than mine? You assume he's innocent. You can make all the empty threats you want tough guy, but we have different opinions and yours isn't any more "right" than mine.
I read the stories on this site and make assumptions and form opinions, and share them on this forum. THATS WHAT ITS FOR!! I don't know these people, I just read what is written. I wrote about foul play right after the explosion and then was attacked for giving my "opinion". Look, see how right I was. I thought this was an annonymous forum to chat with other residents about local topics. Now you take it apon yourself to threaten me with violence...?...
PS I didn't get the part about "You obviously don't know what identity theft is about do you?" Can you please explain the insult? Thanks

Posted by on qu vive
a resident of Laguna Oaks
on Apr 14, 2010 at 3:53 pm

Can someone please direct me to the original article regarding this? I am confused... Who, when, and how did the fire start? where And when did the meth cooker story get twisted into this story? Seems that people are assuming that where fraud and fire are involved ... so are drugs?
why would anyone pay more than $75,000 for it? That's how the foreclosure auction works....
"In a weak market the foreclosing party may set the starting price at a lower amount if it believes the real estate securing the loan is worth less than the remaining principal of the loan."
Curious..Is the notice listing Mr. Z as the OWNER or the SELLER of 846 EAngela?

Posted by Mom
a resident of Valley View Elementary School
on Apr 15, 2010 at 8:58 am

I'd like to point something out to everyone...
This Bermuda Triangle here is also populated by one of the most time-generous families in Pleasanton. Across the street from both the meth house and the Zuffa house, and right next to the church parking lot is a working Dad who has been his boy's Boy Scout Leader ever since they were little (now they are college bound), a working mom who has for the last 10 years volunteered as head of the Tri-Vly chapter of ChADD. I am sure they are not participating in any of this chatter--they have better things to do with their precious time here on earth.
I don't know about you, but I'll be thinking about them after I spend my precious time writing this.

So Keith Zuffa was not involved in any of the refinancing that was done on the property? Oh, I get it...he financed all the motorcyles, trucks and vans to pull his high speed passion with hard work while Mrs. Zuffa took all the equity out of the house! Poor Keith!!! Can you tell me where I may send some money to this poor guy? Maybe he can buy himself and his boys new toys?

Posted by Not misleading at all
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 15, 2010 at 9:54 pm

"These public records might be misleading. I think in 1998, this house could be worth 400k instead of 236k. "

It was a family transaction in 1998 (seller was Joseph Zuffa), so the buyer (Keith Zuffa...) paid what they paid regardless of market value.

After that, there were many re-finances through financial institutions, and at some point the Greenbergs got involved.

The records are not misleading. This happens often when a son buys a house from his parents and pays less than market value, it is not uncommon and it is what makes it hard for sites like Zillow to give an accurate "appraisal" based on sales (many sales are not really sales but transfer of property in the family for very low prices)

So if someone owes a primary mortgage, that is erased with the foreclosure and the person is not obligated to pay. However, second mortages, home equity loans, any loans not used for the purchase of the house but taken after the home was bought and used for something else, do have to be re-paid.

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